Euro NCAP 2026 protocol targets annoying ADAS warnings, interventions; physical buttons’ availability

Euro NCAP has announced what it calls the largest revision of its assessment programme since the introduction of its rating system in 2009, and the update will take effect in 2026.

These changes involve an overhaul of vehicle testing and scoring procedures, said Euro NCAP, and a new rating methodology is built around four pillars of safety. These are safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection, and post-crash safety.

Several changes to the Euro NCAP testing programme have been made in response to consumer feedback, it says, such as in the case of driving assistance systems which have been criticised for their annoying warnings or intrusive interventions, and these will be evaluated not just for their ability to prevent crashes, but also for real-world driving in order to improve consumer acceptance.

For the highest ratings, priority will be given to vehicles with continuous tracking of the driver’s eyes and head, and link information of the driver’s state to the sensitivity of assistance systems.

Assessment of the human-machine interface (HMI) will be introduced, and this will evaluate the placement, clarity, and ease of use of essential controls, including the availability of physical buttons for commonly-used functions; this has been suggested through consumer feedback to reduce distraction, says Euro NCAP.

Higher scores will also be awarded to vehicles which are able to detect when seatbelts are correctly worn, and for vehicles which are able to optimise restraint and airbag systems for occupants of different physiques.

Test scenarios will be expanded to “improve the robustness of crash-prevention systems”, in particular for conditions which are more representative of real-world conditions, Euro NCAP said. The new focus on real-world effectiveness of systems will see a more rigorous approach to the testing of systems, such as AEB and lane support (lane keep assist) systems.

These will “reflect real-world accident patterns” including urban situations where cyclists and motorcyclists are encountered, and these systems will also be rated for their “smoothness and intuitiveness”, in response to user criticism of intrusive and unpredictable intervention.

Vehicles capable of reducing the risk of pedal misapplication will be awarded more points, and this will be assessed as part of a new set of low-speed collision tests that include “cyclist dooring” risk, or the risk of doors being opened in the path of an approaching cyclist.

Crash protection evaluation will be expanded to include a wider range of occupant body sizes, from children to shorter and taller adult occupants. This will employ full-scale crash tests, laboratory sled tests and advanced virtual simulations to improve accuracy and promote more adaptive restraint systems, it said.

For post-crash safety, the new standards will require electrically-powered exterior door handles to continue functioning for easier rescue of vehicle occupants, and proper high-voltage battery isolation in electric vehicles will be mandated, among other updates aimed at assisting first responders.

Vehicles with automated emergency notifications will be required to provide the number of occupants in the vehicle involved in an incident, even when seatbelts are not fastened, in order to support quicker, more accurate emergency response following a collision, Euro NCAP stated.

For electric vehicles, post-crash safety measures to be required of them will include the ability to correctly manage the isolation of the high-voltage battery, and be able to communicate the risk of battery fire and issue the warning in a timely manner, if the battery fire occurs during charging, or after a crash.

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